This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7371 of International Application PCT/JP98/05362, filed Nov. 30, 1998 which claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 9-327859, 10-088707, 10-099264, 10-174743, and 10-206389, filed Nov. 28, 1997, Apr. 1, 1998, Apr. 10, 1998, Jun. 22, 1998, and Jul. 22, 1998, respectively.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plastic bottle with a handle manufactured by separately preparing a handle for a plastic bottle and a bottle body with a concave in its side for mounting a handle and then mounting the handle on the concave of the plastic bottle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, there have been practically used a plastic bottle with a handle manufactured by mounting a separate handle on a bottle body made of a plastic material such as a polyester resin, typically polyethylene terephthalate, which is lighter and more shock-resistant than glass. Among others there have been widely marketed a plastic bottle with a handle manufactured by mounting a handle comprising a grip and laterally-protruding fitting arms at both upper and lower ends of the grip on a concave for mounting a handle formed in the side of the bottle body by embedding the ends of the fitting arms into the wall in the concave.
Such a plastic bottle with a handle is manufactured, as shown in the front cross section of FIG. 3, by presetting a separate handle 3 in a blow mold in a manner that the ends of the fitting arms 32, 33 protrude in the mold, and then blow-molding a bottle body I in the mold while wrapping the bottle wall 10 over the ends of the fitting arms 32, 33 to provide an assembled product. Furthermore, at the ends of the fitting arms 32, 33 are formed protruding pieces 321, 342 which are also embedded in the bottle 10 to prevent the handle from slipping out.
However, when the handle 3 is made of a resin less slippery to the bottle body (e.g., the same material as that of the bottle body 1) in the above conventional plastic bottle with a handle, if the bottle wall 21 under the lower fitting arm 33 may become extremely thinner so that bottle strength or mounting strength of the handle can be reduced to cause significant problems such as a hole in the bottle wall.
Attempting to solve the above problems, we have intensely investigated and have finally found that when the handle is made of a resin less slippery to the bottle body, the bottle wall is rubbed against the lower protruding piece of the lower fitting arm of the handle to be damaged or excessively extended during blow-molding the bottle body while assembling the body and the handle and that an outer bottle wall tends to become thinner. Thus, this invention provides a handle for a plastic bottle comprising a grip and fitting arms laterally protruding from both upper and lower ends of the grip, comprising a protruding piece in the upper part, but not in the lower part, of the end of the lower fitting arm. This invention also provides a plastic bottle with a handle manufactured by mounting a handle comprising a grip and laterally-protruding fitting arms at both upper and lower ends of the grip on a concave for mounting a handle formed in the side of the bottle body by embedding the ends of the fitting arms into the wall in the concave, characterized in that the handle comprises a protruding piece in the upper part, but not in the lower part, of the end of the lower fitting arm. This invention also provides the above plastic bottle with a handle, where a small corrugation is formed on the surface of the protruding piece of the lower fitting arm to be in contact with the bottle body.
In a plastic bottle with a handle according to this invention, there is formed a protruding piece in the upper part, but not in the lower part, of the end of the lower fitting arm. Thus, during blow-molding the bottle body while assembling it and the handle, the bottle wall is relatively less rubbed against the lower surface of the end of the lower fitting arm to be smoothly extended, so that even the outer bottle wall can keep an adequate thickness.
Furthermore, the small corrugation on the surface of the protruding piece of the lower fitting arm to be in contact with the bottle body can minimize a contact area to further reduce friction between the bottle wall and the lower surface of the end of the lower fitting arm in combination with absence of a lower protruding piece, leading to smooth extension.